Patrick Twumasi¹, Paul Agu Asare¹, Sylvester NTT Addy², Godwin Amenorpe³, Frank Kumi¹, Michael O Adu¹, Prosper D Lumorh⁴ and Emmanuel Afutu¹*

¹Department of Crop Science, School of Agriculture, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
²Council for Scientific and Industrial Research- Crops Research Institute (CSIR-CRI), Fumesua, Ghana
³Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI), Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Ghana
⁴Department of Agriculture Science Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana

*Corresponding Author: Emmanuel Afutu, Department of Crop Science, School of Agriculture, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.

Received: February 04, 2025; Published: February 17, 2025

Abstract

The limited breeding advancements in tiger nuts (Cyperus esculentus L.) have left African farmers reliant on unimproved gene pools with no released varieties. The vegetative nature of the crop restricts natural hybridization, necessitating induced mutation breeding to improve productivity, nutritional value, early maturity, and resilience to environmental stresses. Four high-yielding genotypes (two brown and two black) were selected for improvement and treated with Ethyl Methanesulfonate (EMS) and Colchicine at varying concentrations to determine lethal dose (LD50) and reduction dose (RD50) values. Following these, 600 tubers were treated and planted in successive generations (M1-M4). Results showed that tuber coat colour was unaffected by mutagen treatments, while significant effects were observed in growth traits such as plant height, girth expansion, and leaf length. The mutant Cb5 achieved the highest mean plant height (115.75 cm), and colchicine treatments induced early maturity, with four brown mutants maturing within 75-77 days. Yield analysis revealed ten mutants surpassing controls in hundred tuber weight, with Eb2 recording the highest weight. Nutritional and mineral analysis across 13 selected genotypes highlighted significant variability in 12 nutrient elements. Hierarchical cluster analysis of 25g enotypes demonstrated high genetic diversity, reflecting the potential for breeding improvement and varietal release. This study highlights the utility of induced mutation breeding in developing tiger nut cultivars with enhanced agronomic and nutritional traits. These findings contribute to food security, economic development, and nutrition-sensitive agriculture, offering a pathway for sustainable tiger nut cultivation and improved livelihoods for farmers.

Keywords: Tiger Nut Breeding; Induced Mutation; Genetic Diversity; Ethyl Methanesulfonate (EMS); Colchicine Treatment; Nutritional Analysis

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Citation

Citation: Emmanuel Afutu., et al. “Harnessing Induced Mutations to Develop Superior Tiger Nut Varieties Using Ethyl Methanesulfonate (EMS) and Colchicine". Acta Scientific Agriculture 9.3 (2025): 50-68.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Emmanuel Afutu., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.